Night flight to tragedy
A quarter of a century has passed since Iroquois A2-770 crashed, killing all on board. Family and friends gathered at Amberley on the anniversary to pay homage to the crew.

OIC RAAF Amberley Band Warrant Officer Steve Finch plays the Last Post during the memorial service to the No. 9 Squadron men killed on exercise in South Australia in 1978.

Family and friends attend the memorial service at RAAF Base Amberley. Photos by LAC Andrew Eddie

Air Commodore Chris Beatty delivers the eulogy for his former comrades.

Commanding Officer No 9 Squadron Wing Commander Peter Mahood WGCDR Mahood graduated from RAAF College in 1956, serving as a fighter pilot. After staff college in 1969, he completed the helicopter conversion course. WGCDR Mahood served as CO 9SQN in Vietnam from April to December 1971, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In April 1973 he again assumed command of 9SQN and was, in December 1978, to have been promoted to group captain.

Pilot Officer Paul Mason PLTOFF Mason enlisted in the Air Force on February 24, 1977, and on completion of flying training was posted to 9SQN on May 31, 1978. From July 31 to November 10 he undertook the Iroquois conversion course at Fairbairn.

Sergeant Steve Milsted SGT Milsted enlisted in the Air Force on February 22, 1965, training initially as an armament mechanic but remustering to armament fitter. In 1969 he entered the helicopter field as a crewman and served two tours of Vietnam in 1969-70 and 1971.

Sergeant Paul Gallagher SGT Gallagher enlisted in the Air Force on January 16, 1966, and trained as an instrument fitter, serving continuously on helicopters. He completed a tour of Vietnam in 1967-68. SGT Gallagher joined 9SQN in January 1973.

Leading Aircraftman Barry Johns LAC Johns enlisted in the Air Force on March 3, 1969, as a Cat 2B trainee. He served with 34SQN before being posted to 9SQN in January 1973.

IT was a clear, still night on November 25, 1978, when Iroquois A2-770 took off from Yadnapinna for base camp at El Alamein near Port Augusta in South Australia – a destination at which it would never arrive.

On board were aircraft captain Wing Commander Peter Mahood, co-pilot Pilot Officer Paul Mason, crewman Sergeant Steve Milsted and passengers Sergeant Paul Gallagher and Leading Aircraftman Barry Johns.

In all, eight aircraft from No 9 Squadron were supporting 3RAR and Exercise Cultana Way and the crews had just completed night air-mobility tasks – ferrying soldiers across the countryside.

With the aircraft refuelled and loaded, the crew were ready to return to base after a long and very hot day. It was around midnight when the last two aircraft lifted off for base camp, a short hop of just 80km to the northeast, with A2-770 in the lead and A2-149 following.

The aircraft maintained a steady altitude of about 2200 feet, overflying the camp about 30 minutes later and gradually descending to 1700 feet. At 12.35am, as A2-770 turned right on a south-easterly heading and continued its approach and descent WGCDR Mahood radioed A2-149 “Remain at 1000 feet until I land”.

Seconds later his aircraft struck a ridgeline – at 791 feet the only high ground in the immediate vicinity of the camp and just 2km away. Exploding on impact, A2-770 disintegrated, spreading wreckage over a distance of 200m and killing all on board.

Names of the crew are inscribed on the Memorial Wall at the entrance to Amberley and on November 25 family and former members of the now-disbanded squadron gathered at the base to pay homage to the men who died.

CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston – the last RAAF Commanding Officer of 9SQN – was not able to attend the ceremony and was represented by fellow helicopter pilot and ex-9SQN member Air Commodore Chris Beatty. AIRCDRE Beatty recalled the men by nickname – men he had flown with – and gave a brief snapshot of each.

A minute’s silence was observed in memory of the men, broken by a sound once familiar at Amberley as an Iroquois from the School of Army Aviation at Oakey flew a low pass in tribute.

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